Umbrella



A ril 13 1926. 1,580,864

C. S. STEVENSON UMBRELLA Filed March 26, 1925 2 'sneeis-sheex 1 April .13 1926. 1,580,864

- c. s. STEVENSON UMBRELLA Filed March 26, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 13, 1926.

PATENT FFEQE.

CHARLES S. STEVENSON, OF \VASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

UMBRELLA.

Application filed March 28, 1925. Serial No. 18,556.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES S. STEVEN- SON, a citizen of the United States, residing at lVashington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Umbrellas, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to umbrellas, particularly so-called emergency umbrellas," constructed of cheap material and generally designed for economical manufacture rather than for durability or for convenience of use.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide an umbrella which will be of simple construction, which may be economically manufactured, and which may be compactly folded for storage or shipment.

A further object is to provide an umbrella of this type which will be rigid and eflieient when opened for use and can be conveniently carried.

A still further object is to provide an umbrella of thistype of such construction that the manner of folding or opening it will be readily apparent, and such that it may be quickly opened without particular care or adjustment of parts.

In general the object isto provide an umbrella which will be as durable, efficient and convenient'to use as is consistent with the 'cheap manufacture necessary in an article which is adapted to serve its purpose for a con'iparatively short time and then be dis-' carded.

Still further objects of the invention and the features of novelty will be apparent from the following description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective of the under side of a structure embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the structure shown in Fig. 1; 7

Figs. 3 and 4 are detail sectional views, taken on line-4t4 of Fig. 2, showing the ribs in contracted and flattened condition, respectively 5 Fig. 5 is a sectional view showing the umbrella partly opened; 7

Fig. 6 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 5 showing the umbrella as fully opened;

Fig. 7 is a View in perspective showing the umbrella almost completely folded;

Fig. 8 is'a plan view illustrating the structure as partially folded, a modified form of rib being shown; and

Fig. 9 is a detail perspective view of the ribs with the cover removed showing a modilied rib construction which will permit more compact folding.

The objects of the invention are attained by so constructing an umbrella of the type described that it may be turned inside out, the web portions of the canopy between adjacent ribs being foldable inwardly between such ribs except one such web por tion which may be folded over all of the ribs to overlie the other web portions or may be folded within one of the other web portions as shown in Fig. 7.. The canopy is secured to and supported by comparatively rigid radially extending ribs the inneredges of which are adaptedto abut at the vertical axis of the umbrella when it is opened, but can swing away from each other as the canopy turns inside out.

As shown in the drawings a canopy 11, of water proof paper or similar material, has a number of radially extending ribs 12 secured to its under side by an adhesive or in any other suitable manner. The ribs 12 may be made of card board or other cheap material and the canopy 11 is one unbroken piece, preferably polygonal in shape and having tabs 13 at its corners which are folded over and secured to the ends of the ribs 12.

To enhance the rigidity of the structure as a whole and facilitate their attachment to the canopy 11, the ribs 12 arepreferably creased longitudinally to form a body'portion 14 which is widened toward its inner end and a narrow flap 15 which extends from the outer end of the ribto a point adjacent its inner end, as best shown in Fig. l. The canopy secured to the flaps '15 throughout their length and to the outer ends of the body portions 1i, as shown in Figs. 3 and l, such body portions being somewhat. twisted as shown. When the ribs 12 have been thus creased they can be stretched flat as shown in Fig. 4i but tend to return to their folded condition as shown in Fig. 3 and thus serve to contract the periphery of the canopy ll and hold it taut.

In the structure shown each of the ribs 12 has a handle 16 of the same shape as the rib, with a body portion 17 and a flap 18,

the widened inner end of its rib and secured to it by rivets 19 or in any other suitable the widened end of each handle overlapping ill manner. It will; be apparent that each handle could be made integral with the rib if desired, but a considerable saving in material is ellected-by making them in separate pieces, and the cost of manufacture is lessened and a more rigid handle structure is attained by making the handles like the ribs. A flap 20, of paper or other suitable material, may be secured. to thelower end of one of the handles 16 so that it may be wrapped about all of the handles-and when grasped by the hand will assist in holding the hand. es in proper relation, and if desired it may be provided with adhesive near its free end so that it may be used to secure the handles together. The inner edges of the ribs lQ-areadapted to abut on a line which is the vertical axis of the structure as a whole as the canopy passes from the dish shape shown in F 19;. 5, through a substantially plane condition, tothe final conical shape shown in Fig. 6. It isdesirable that in'its final condition the canopy 11 should be reasonably, taut. As shown in Fig. 8 this result may be eil ected by rounding the inner abutting edges of the ribs 12, SO;

that they will'be in rolling contact frointhe points 21, to the poi-nts22 and the ribs will be slightly but continuously cainmed radially outward until the handles reach their final position.

In the structure shown in Figs. 1 to 6, the canopy is heldtautby the contraction of its peripheral portion. The inner edges of the ribs 12- may be rounded, if desired, from points 23 to points 2%, but are so shaped that, in the final position shown in Fig. 6, the abutting points2l will be above'the plane of the, outer ends of the ribs. Vl ith this construction the canopy 11 is stretched flat just before the handles meet in the final condition shown in Fig. 6, and is, in a way, buckled over center. The tendency of the outer ends of the ribs to return to the folded condition shown in Fig. 3 and thus contract the periphery of the canopy 11 will serve to hold the canopy in the conical shape shown in 6 without requiring that the handles 16 be secured or held together. Additional means may be utilized for contracting the periphery of the canopy to hold it in condition for use, such as by forming any desired number of radial pleats or folds in the web portions, or by connecting adjacent ribs by a rubber band 26 or other suitable device. The structure is thus designed to remain in conical shape ready for use even though the handles 16 are not secured or held together. and, if desired. the handles may be dispensed with or a single handle or any other suitable means for sup porting the canopy may be used.

shown in 7 the umbrella may be folded to a flat compact formation which may be readily packed for shipment or stora e, and is a complete unit which can be put into condition for use almost instantly and without instruction. If it is desired to form a. more, compact package when folded, the

flaps 15 may be bent flat with the body portions 14ro-f the ribs, as shown in Fig. 9, instead ofbeing doubled upon such body portions as shown in Fig. 7.

When it is desired to open the umbrella, one or more of the handles 16 is swung away fromthe others to substantially the position shownin Fig. 8,'and as the folded webs of the canopy open up the ribs successively assume thepositions shownin Figs. 5 and 6, the inner ends ofthe ribs 12 bein moved into engagement and the canopy being (lattened' into a plane and then assuming the substantially conical shape shown in Fig. 6. To foldthe umbrella it is only necessary to buckle the canopy from the conical shape back to the dished format-ion shown in Fig. 5, the inner edges of the ribs moving away from each other and from the axis of theumbrella, andthe web portions may then be foldedto the positions shown in Fig. 7.

It will be understood that the ribs 12 may beformed in pairs if desired, the adjacent ribs being formed integrally so as to be connected; at their inner widened edges. Likewise, adjacent handles 16 may be formed in one piece instead of having the flaps 18 thereon. Various other changes may be made from the specific embodiment of the invention shown and described, as well as changes in the materialsusedand the other details oi" construction without departing from the essential features of the invention as defined'by the following claims.

"What" is claimed is 1. An umbrella comprising a flexible canopy andradially'extending rib members sccured'to said canopy, said rib members havingrigid abutments at their inner edges engaging with each other tohold said canopy taut,

2. An umbrella comprising aflexible canopy and radially extending rib members secured to said canopy having a circumfercntially continuous. edge, said rib members having rigid abutments at their inner edge; cooperating to prevent collapse oi. said canopy but movable away from each other to permit the canopy to be turnedinside out.

3. An.umbrella.comprising a flexible canopy and radially arranged rib members cured to said canopy, said rib members having handle portions rigid therewith and abutment portions at their inner edges, certai of said handle and abutmentportions being separable from the others to permit the canopy to be turned inside out.

t.. An umbrella comprising a flexible can opy, radially. arranged rib members secured to said canopy, said rib members having abutment portions at their inner e lges,

handle portions rigid with said rib members, and means for holding said handle portions together.

5. An umbrella comprising a flexible canopy having a circumlierentially continuous edge, and radially arranged rib members secured to said canopy, said rib members having rigid abutments at their inner edges cooperating to limit the collapse of said canopy from an opened condition but separable from the vertical axis of the umbrella to permit the canopy to be turned inside out and folded about said axis.

6. An umbrella comprising a flexible canopy and radially extending rib members secured thereto, means for contracting the periphery of said canopy and abutments at the inner edges of said ribs for resisting said contracting action.

7. An umbrella comprising a flexible canopy having a circumferentially continuous edge, and reinforcing rib members for supporting said canopy and secured thereto, said rib members being disconnected from each other, whereby said canopy may be turned inside out and folded.

8. An umbrella comprising a flexible canopy and radially extending rib members secured to said canopy, said rib members having rigid abutments at their inner edges curved away from said canopy and cooperating to hold said canopy taut.

9. An umbrella comprising a flexible canopy, radially arranged rib members having handle portions rigid therewith and rigid abutments at their inner edges, said abutments bein curved whereby said ribs are forced slightly outwardly as said handles approach each other.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

CHARLES S. STEVENSON. 

